As a glasses wearer myself I’m so pleased that wearing glasses is now seen as the new trend rather than being geeky, and are now being worn in public by many celebrity fashion queens who are showing us that wearing glasses doesn’t mean that you need to shy away from wearing make-up. In fact, new glasses give you the perfect excuse to experiment with different beauty looks. Here are my fool proof tips to help make sure your eyes pop and your makeup looks beautiful.

Ever since the 1950’s and Adel adopting the iconic look, the winged liner look has been a continuous hit. Here are my tips on how to achieve the catwalk look at home.

Step 1 – Line the lid

Using a pencil liner or Gel liner with a thin brush, draw a line from the inner corner of your upper lid to the outer making it thicker as you go. I do this by adding ever-so-slight pressure which makes the brush naturally widen.

Step 2 – Create your wing

Looking straight ahead into a mirror, place a small mark where you want your wing to end. I like the wing to be a continuation of the bottom lash line, this way it looks more natural and in keeping with your eye shape.

Now place your brush / liner at the outer corner of your eye where your eye liner ends and use that as the starting point for your “flick” ending at your mark. You can extend it out as far as you dare – the shorter and thinner the more delicate it looks.

If you want a thicker wing, draw a line from the top of your flick to the middle or 3/4 of your line on your upper lid. Now “fill” this in with eyeliner.

If you make a mistake, its easier to remove pencil and gel with a small or pointed cotton bud dipped in Micellar water.

Once you have the perfect wing, go over your line with a liquid liner for more definition or leave it as it is for a softer look.

Step 3 – Less is More

If you’re doing heavy shadow and eyeline, make sure to keep your lip neutral. However, this look also looks great with a clean/neutral eye lid and a pop of colour on your lips.

P.S. Remember that practice, practice, and-more-practice makes perfect! If you’re a bit nervous try the look with a soft eyeliner pencil and go over it with a liquid liner once you have the perfect wing.

Have fun creating different looks with your eyeliner like some of those from a shoot I held recently.

If you have any other useful tips that I can add to this post, please post a comment below or comment on this post on my Facebook page. All additions will be credited.

Follow this blog for more tips on makeup, hair and beauty, info and tutorials. If you have any ideas on what you want me to write about or give step by step tutorials on, please email me at claire@makeup-byclaire.co.uk

Homemade Body Scrubs to Exfoliate and Moisturise your Skin

Well its that time of year
that we all make resolutions to eat better and exercise, but what about
improving our skincare? During the winter months our skin and lips take a
beating from the cold and wind and central heating and therefore need a little
bit of pampering too.

With this in mind, I jumped
onto the coconut oil bandwagon a few years ago and must admit that it lived up to
the hype! Sugar scrubs are a wonderful way to pamper yourself and I have been
making my own face, body and lip scrubs for the last few years (Link to my Instagram
post of December’s scrubs: https://www.instagram.com/p/Bqht_tJAbty/)
and my skin feels amazingly soft, and moisturised. They are also inexpensive to
make, and my friends, family and clients love them as gifts.

There is
nothing wrong with the shop bought scrubs and I used to be addicted to LUSH’s Mint Julips Lip Scrub (£6.50
for 25g) and Ocean
Salt Face and Body Scrub (£8.95 for 120g). Whilst they are lovely they are
quite expensive. Its easy to make your own scrubs in less than 10 mins with a
few ingredients that you probably already own and therefore will cost you
pennies to make.

Read on to discover my current favourite homemade scrub and to download my top 5 recipes so that you can make them at home.

Vanilla & Cinnamon Brown Sugar Scrub

My current favourite scrub
for my lips and body is the Vanilla and Cinnamon Brown Sugar Scrub. It smells
divine and is almost good enough to eat. I love to lick my lips after using
this scrub!

I use it on my lips 2-3
times a week and on my body once per week. When I make a large batch, if I have
any left over I pop it into small pots and gift it to clients at my makeup
appointments.

Ingredients:

1 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup coconut oil (melted)

1 teaspoon real vanilla extract

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Directions:

Place all ingredients in a
bowl and mix together. (I melt the
coconut oil in the microwave for a few seconds first) It’s as easy as that! You
can add more oil depending upon how loose you prefer your scrubs to be.

PURCHASING INGREDIENTS

I’m not going to list where
I buy each item from and its cost as they mostly come out of my pantry which I
stock up from my local supermarket.

I buy my Coconut oil from
Aldi as its fairly inexpensive at I believe £2.99 for a large jar and lasts for
a long time in the fridge too.

Essential oils also don’t have
to be expensive, I buy mine from TK Maxx in their skincare department for approx.
£1.99 per bottle.

You can also look online or
look at other retailers for your ingredients.

HOW TO STORE YOUR BODY SCRUBS

I store the scrubs in Mason
Jars in my bathrooms and in small air tight containers in my makeup kit. If you don’t have any fancy jars yet, just
keep your scrub in a Tupperware tub. Since this recipe doesn’t contain any
preservatives, it’s best if it’s used within a couple of months however I find
that this is never an issue!!!

HOW TO USE A BODY SCRUB:

You can use body scrubs in the bath or shower. To avoid damaging your skin, make sure your body is thoroughly wet and softened with warm water.

You can use body scrubs in the bath or shower. To avoid damaging your skin, make sure your body is thoroughly wet and softened with warm water.

Apply scrub with your hands
and cover your body with an adequate amount of body scrub. Use circular motions
to massage it into your skin. I try to allow the scrub to melt into my skin for
2-3 mins before rinsing off with warm water.

Anything you apply on your
skin after using a body scrub will be absorbed more rapidly. Applying a
hydrating body lotion is the most important after-scrub product to help seal
moisture in to your skin.

Download Your Free Body Scrub Recipes

Download my free body scrub recipes by clicking on the image below and have fun making your own scrubs. Leave me a comment on your favourite and tag me in photos of your homemade scrubs – @makeupbyclaire01

Subscribe to this blog for more tips and tutorials on makeup, hair and
beauty. If you have any ideas on what you want me to write about or give
tutorials on, please post a comment.

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you liked this post, please share with friends and family on Social
Media/email. Y

Well as I am heading off for my winter sun vacation (definitely deserved) I thought Id update my travel beauty tips and give you an insight into my beauty regime both on the flight and on holiday.

I spend my life making other people look and feel beautiful and so when it comes to spending time doing the same for me, you guessed it……I cant think of anything worse! And so, I usually find myself heading to the airport in an absolute hurry, realising that my nails are chipped, my skin is stressed and I’m less than ready for a long haul flight.

As an Ex-Cabin Crew member (long haul), I know the importance of looking after your skin and hair whilst flying and so here are a few tips on how to look after yourself whilst you’re in the air, just in time for your holiday.

Travel Beauty Tips

Nails

1: If you didn’t have time for a manicure or to get your nails done, quickly file your nails and paint two coats of clear polish. This only takes a few minutes, and the hint of shine on freshly filed nails will give the illusion of a clean manicure. Try a fast drying top coat instead of a clean nail polish. I like to use Barry M All in One Nail Polish to protect my nails whilst I’m away and its quick drying too!

2: If your nail polish is chipped or smudged, don’t try to fix it in a rush or you’ll likely make it worse. Instead, remove it completely. Throw a pack of Cutex Essential Care One Step Nail Polish Remover Pads in your carry-on bag and use them once you get through security.

Hair

When it comes to styling your hair pre-flight, don’t go against nature, you won’t win.

3: If you have thin, straight hair, do a basic sleek, smooth blow-dry or use hair straighteners before you head to the airport. If you do a bouncy blow-dry or add curls to your hair and then sit on a plane for five + hours, your hair will fall flat.

4: If your hair is wavy, work mousse through damp strands, scrunch it, let it air dry. Once you’re on the flight, wrap your hair into a loose high top knot and secure with an elastic band that won’t crease your curls. Let your hair down when you arrive.

5: If you don’t have time to prep your hair the day you’re travelling, go for a chic, high top knot. As you can tell, its my favourite ‘go to’ hairstyle and it’s classic, pulls the hair off the face, and is simple to do in a minute. (Original Photo can be found at Pinterest )

6: To give your hair some oomph after a long flight, spray roots with a dry shampoo. It’ll also get rid of that awful air plane smell. I like to carry Batiste Dry Shampoo On The Go Blush with me when I’m travelling as its only 50ml and perfect for taking on the plane. I get mine from Superdrug from their 3 for 2 travel mini’s section.

Skin

7: If you’re taking a flight that’s longer than two hours, prep your skin as if you’re going to bed. Pack sample sizes of cleanser (Micellar Water), moisturiser, lip balm and sheet mask. (Yes I do lie back on a long flight with a sheet mask on my face – my skin feels amazing after the flight). I like to apply all of these products after boarding as it gives me something to do on the flight however if you prefer to sleep on the flight, head to the bathroom before boarding or carry out your skin routine in the lounge. This will give your skin the hydration and care it needs.

I like to use the Garnier Moisture Bomb Tissue Mask as the sheet mask is made from ultra-thin tissue and infused with a cocktail of Pomegranate extract, Hyaluronic Acid and plant serum (one mask contains the volume of half a bottle of serum*) which is intensely rehydrating and only takes 15 mins to work. I like to massage the additional liquid in the package onto my neck, hands and arms.

8: Though it’s best to head to the airport without makeup for a long flight, if you need to wear a little something, go for finished brows, waterproof mascara and pink/nude lips. This will help you look pulled-together while keeping your skin clean.

9: Water is an in-flight essential. If you want your skin to look great when you arrive, drink water. The small cups they bring around during the food service are not enough. Plane air is very dry; at such high altitudes it has very little moisture, making the cabin air dry. That is what makes your skin feel dehydrated. I buy the largest water I can at the airport and sip it all through the flight. If you can’t afford to buy water at the airport (the prices are ridiculous) take your own empty water bottle to the airport and either fill it in the lounge or most airports have water fountains.

10: I’m a big fan of face misting during a flight, especially on long international trips. I don’t mean makeup setting sprays but actual hydrating sprays. I like Evian water spray, Jane Iredale D2O or Rose Water. I always decant the D20 or rose water into a smaller spray bottle so that I can take them on board with me but the Evian sprays are just the right size anyway. Spritzing your face with water is another way to keep skin hydrated in the dry cabin environment.

My Tips

If I have larger bottles/pots of products at home, I like to decant them into Muji’s travel bottles/pots for my carry on beauty essentials. If you don’t have a label maker (you don’t know what you’re missing if you don’t have one) then you can just use stickers or colourful sharpie markers to label your pots.

I hope this encourages you to look after your skin both whilst you are away but especially on those long flights.

If you have any other useful tips that I can add to this post, please post a comment below or comment on this post on my Facebook page. All additions will be credited.

Follow this blog for more tips on makeup, hair and beauty, info and tutorials. If you have any ideas on what you want me to write about or give step by step tutorials on, please email me at claire@makeup-byclaire.co.uk

Note: This blog post contains affiliate links from eBay. If you use them, I might be rewarded a small commission of the sale. You will not be charged extra. Please note that I only recommend products and tools that I personally use and love, and I always have my readers’ best interest at heart.

One of the many things which I get asked is how to make makeup light, bright and pretty for shopping at the weekend or having lunch with our friends. We all want a slightly different look to the one which we wear for work or going out and it’s nice to look like we’ve made an effort without looking too done up.

For those times at weekend when we don’t want to be bothered but still want to look good, here is a makeup look that that takes less than 10 minutes.

Firstly you want to use a light foundation. I like to use a BB Cream or mix a little moisturiser in with your current foundation to give a lighter coverage. I like to use the Zoeva Silk Finish Foundation Brush.

Next apply a bit of concealer. I love YSL Touch Eclait for this because it is subtle and brightens the whole eye area. Apply a small amount on your dark circles (if you have them) and then in the inner and outer corners of the eye. Blend out well. Cover any blemishes with a good creamy moisturiser like Benefit Boi-ing.

For a natural healthy glow, use Bobbi Brown Pot Rouge for Lips & Cheeks. Dab a bit on your finger then pat onto your cheeks. Your foundation brush is ideal to blend it. If you need more, just remember that its easier to add cream blush than take away so add sparingly in thin layers. For application, fingers are fine too, but I find that I end up wiping off as much I put on if I’m not gentle!

To bring out your eyes without looking overly made up, choose a light eye shadow that compliments your eye colour. My current favourite is the Bobbi Brown Rosy Nudes Edition Palette. To quote Bobbi this palette is “packed with an array of rich and rosy nude shades perfect for creating sweet to sultry looks”. My tip is to brush on the colour with your brush upside down so that the majority of the colour is around your lash line. Use your brush to blend around the edges and up into the crease. Whatever is left on your brush, dab into the inner corner of your eye to make you look more bright and awake. Alternatively, you can also use your Bobbi Brown Pot Rouge for Lips & Cheeks.

Apply 2 coats of Mascara. There is no need to go all out and full on, it should look soft and gentle. Keep your lashes light and feathery.

It’s as easy as that for your quick weekend look so that leaves you plenty of time to have fun.

To see the original images above or to see more natural makeup ideas, please take a look at my Pinterest Board – Natural Makeup

If you have any other useful tips that I can add to this post, please post a comment below or comment on this post on my Facebook page. All additions will be credited.

Follow this blog for more tips on makeup, hair and beauty, info and tutorials. If you have any ideas on what you want me to write about or give step by step tutorials on, please email me at claire@makeup-byclaire.co.uk

Note: This blog post contains affiliate links from eBay. If you use them, I might be rewarded a small commission of the sale. You will not be charged extra. Please note that I only recommend products and tools that I personally use and love, and I always have my readers’ best interest at heart.

As you’re probably all aware by now, I’m a huge sunscreen advocate however that doesn’t mean that I don’t like a golden glow on my face, especially when I’m looking a bit peaky. To get a subtle glow without the sun damage I regularly turn to a bronzer; for both myself and my clients. Luckily, gone are the days when we just slapped some brownish-orange powder all over our face and called that ‘bronze’. What were we thinking??? Bronzer application techniques and products have improved massively over the years and so read on for the new way to apply bronzer for a truly natural look.

Find the right shade

The first step to perfect bronzer application is to choose the right colour. Look for one that’s two to three shades warmer than your skin and is more golden-hued than brown or orange. Personally I prefer multi tonal bronzers such as Jane Iredale’s So-Bronze Bronzing Powders. You can bronze, contour and highlight with these light-diffusing, long-lasting powders and they come in 3 shades to suit everyone.

So Bronze 1 looks great on fair skin; So Bronze 2 works well on medium and olive skin tones and So Bronze 3 gives darker complexions a lit-from-within effect. ( I also like to use these on summer holiday eyes!!!)

For very fair skin or when I want a touch of a glow but ‘ want to be too bronzed goddess I turn to my all time favourite bronzer and highlighter palette: Charlotte Tilbury Filmstar Bronze and glow. The bronzer is a blend of pearl and pigment to help contour your face and mimic that sun-kissed skin without looking fake!

Go easy on the glitz

Makeup artists (including myself) agree that you don’t want an over-the-top glittery bronzer (no matter how old you are) but at the same time, “skin has an intrinsic brightness that you won’t get from a matte bronzer. For a balance I also use bronzers such as Jane Iredale’s Moonglow Bronzer which has a slight shimmer that boost radiance without looking overly sparkly or utterly drab.

Pick a formula

In my years of experience I have found a powder bronzer is easier to control and blend, and it’s less likely to leave streaks. I usually dust a light layer of a neutral or translucent face powder on first so that the bronzer goes on smoothly and doesn’t deposit too much color. I always add a little then step back to have a look as you can always add more but it is very difficult to remove without spoiling the rest of your makeup.

Know where to glow

Bronzer isn’t meant to be used all over the face and isn’t a replacement for a tan. Bronzer should give you a natural warmth to your skin rather than making you look like you’ve been on holiday for a fortnight!

As a rule of thumb, focus your application where the sunlight naturally hits your face; the apples of the cheeks, center of the forehead, down the nose, your cheek bones, the temples and jawline and finally on your collar bones. For a delicate more natural application, use a big, soft fluffy brush. (Original photo can be found at Pinterest)

I hope this encourages you to try bronzer again after we have steered clear of it for many years.

If you have any other useful tips that I can add to this post, please post a comment or comment on this post on my Facebook page. All additions will be credited.

Follow this blog for more tips on makeup, hair and beauty, info and tutorials. If you have any ideas on what you want me to write about or give step by step tutorials on, please email me at claire@makeup-byclaire.co.uk

Makeup Tips Advent Calendar

As a qualified and experienced Makeup Artist, I like to think I know a thing or two about makeup. I wear makeup every working day and I’m lucky enough to spend time with some of the best makeup experts in the business, but there’s still a lot to learn. Here are the tips and tricks I pass onto my clients and which will help you achieve a more professional makeup look, whether you’re a total makeup obsessive or simply a bit of mascara and go girl (or boy).

As an aid to help my fellow makeup lovers out there, for the last 24 days I have been revealing a different makeup tip each day following on from questions which have been asked during my 1:1 makeup lessons. Here is the full advent calendar in one blog post.

Advent Calendar Day 1: BLUSHER

If like some of my clients your blush gradually disappears during a night out, I suggest layering a gel/cream blush under a powder to extend the wear time. Be careful not to add too much powder blush on top of the cream, as you don’t want to look like a doll. I use a dual fibre brush to give a light dusting a lock in the colour.

Advent Calendar Day 2: FOUNDATION

So, you’ve found your perfect shade and brand of foundation. But what do you do when you’re having a great skin day or just want a lighter coverage? I advise mixing your foundation with a small amount of your favourite moisturiser. It’s the easiest way to lighten the coverage and have a bespoke consistency. Added bonus, you are keeping your skin moist and hydrated whilst still wearing your favourite product. No more having to buy tinted moisturisers 😉

Advent Calendar Day 3: MASCARA 🎅💋💄

You can guarantee that on the night of a big Christmas Party your mascara will suddenly be dry and clumpy. There are two ways to extend the life of your mascara, 1) add a few drops of saline solution to the tube and swirl the brush around. Leave for a couple of minutes and you’re ready to go. 2) Whilst applying the rest of your makeup, place your mascara tube in a cup of hot water (Tap hot is OK, no need to boil the kettle) This will reinvigorate the product and when you’re ready to use it, swirl the brush around and away you go!

If you’re in a rush, liquid or gel eyeliner on a spoolie can be used as a mascara.

Advent Calendar Day 4: RED EYES 🎅💋💄

So, you’ve had a few late nights over Christmas and have red bloodshot eyes!!! To get rid of this quickly, use moisturising or refreshing eye drops. Eye drops contain ingredients that constrict the blood vessels in your eyes, therefore making the redness go away. This same principle applies to pimples or other redness on the face as well. Just saturate a cotton swab with some Optrex Eye Drops and dab it onto the specific area. In a few minutes, the redness will be gone.

Advent Calendar Day 5: LONG LASTING LIPS 🎅💋💄

There are few things worse on a night out than having to keep nipping to the loo to re-apply your lipstick. The key to making any lipstick last is to layer. Start by lining and filling in your lips with a nude lip liner or one that matches your lipstick. Then, apply a light layer of lipstick. Hold a split tissue over your mouth, blot the colour, and dust a light layer of translucent powder over top. Repeat the process one or two more times for lip colour that won’t budge. Have fin kissing, drinking and singing the night away with lips that will last as long as you do (nearly).

Advent Calendar Day 6: DRY SKIN 🎅💋💄

Cold weather is enemy number one for your already-dry skin; even those who don’t normally struggle with flakiness tend to encounter it during the winter months. At this time of year I use my two go to dry skin products on all clients: face oil and a beauty sponge.

I always dab a small amount of face oil on top of the moisturiser with a beauty blender, especially any problem areas. This gives your foundation a smooth base and ensures that you have flawless foundation.

Advent Calendar Day 7: LIPS🎅💋💄

Add texture to your lips this Christmas rather than having the same gloss or matte finish, why not try velvet??? To add a velvety texture to your favourite lipstick, just dab your finger in a bit of blush or eye shadow; then pat it over your lips. So much easier and more interesting than full-on matte. To add a bit of Christmas Sparkle, why not add a touch of shimmer or gold/metallic eye shadow to bring back a touch of Glam? Don’t forget to set with a makeup setting spray!

Advent Calendar Day 8: LASHES🎅💋💄

If you love a big, voluminous, Bardot-esque lash look, you might be tempted to look for a full, thick false lash—don’t. These extra thick lashes can look really false and cheap as they have much thicker bands at the base. You’re much better off stacking two lighter, thin false lashes on top of each other. Just make sure the bands are thin to keep things looking natural.

Advent Calendar Day 9: BROWS 🎅💋💄

So, you want to have Insta worthy brows but when you try they just look like you’ve drawn them on with a Sharpie marker! The mistake is filling in your eyebrows with just one colour. Whether you’re blond or brunette, your eyebrows will be naturally darker at the tail and lighter towards your nose. Choose two cool shades of taupe and brown which complement the colour of your brows. I fill the entire brow with the lighter shade, then fill in any sparse areas, and accentuate the arch and tail with the deeper shade. Finally comb through with brow gel or a clear mascara to blend it evenly.

Advent Calendar Day 10: ON TREND EYE MAKEUP💋💄

Whether you want to create a full on Insta worthy eye makeup or a more subtle version (like most of us), there are two key tips: blend, blend, blend and your edge and wing must be as straight as the edge of a business card.

When creating your straight edge, line up the corner of your eye with the end of your eyebrow using micropore tape. You can buy this at any chemist. This will allow you to create crisp and clean eyeshadow lines and a liquid eyeliner wing. When you’re done, just peel it away.

Advent Calendar Day 11: LONG LASTING MAKEUP 🎅💋💄

This old school beauty trick is one that myself and many other professional makeup artists use on clients for events. When it comes to getting your makeup look to last, use a puff instead of a powder brush to apply your finishing powder. This puff presses the powder into the face, minimising the appearance of shine and adding longevity. Finally add a spritz of MAC Prep+Prime Fix+

Advent Calendar Day 12: LASHES 🎅💄

One of the most popular questions I have during makeup lessons is “How can I apply false lashes easily?” I have a couple of tips for this problem: 1) Trim the lashes to fit your eye. Most false lashes are too big for the general eye and so the end needs to be snipped off to ensure a perfect fit. 2) If you still can’t get those pesky little things to look good: don’t use a complete strip of false lashes. Cut strips into small sections and apply individually. It’ll look a thousand times better and more natural than a strip which is applied wrong! And look for lash strips that have an small thin band at the base.

Advent Calendar Day 13: Foundation 🎅💋💄

It’s almost impossible to find a foundation shade that perfectly matches your skin: that shade just doesn’t exist, especially not from just one bottle. I always advise my clients to have two shades, one darker for summer and one lighter for winter, then mix them together in spring and autumn to create your own custom shade. This way you will always have a foundation that matches your skin tone.

Advent Calendar Day 14: EYELINER 🎅💋💄

When clients are out dancing they don’t want to have to worry about their eyeliner smudging across their face with the heat. I always ‘Smudgeproof’ their eyeliner for events. I achieve this by setting the eyeliner with a little powder eyeshadow in the same colour over the kohl to keep it from moving. Works a treat and means that you can dance the night away without your smokey eye running down your face!

Advent Calendar Day 15: LIPS 🎅💋💄

Do you suffer from chapped lips in winter? Well you’re not alone. Many women do, and the cause could be our favourite lip balm! If your lip balm has petroleum jelly as an ingredient it stops moisture entering your lips and acts as a barrier. If you can’t live without your lip balm, apply moisturiser to your lips before applying your balm. This way you will lock in hydration for your lips.

If you already have chapped lips, don’t worry, either use a lip scrub or rub a balm onto your lips and gently scrub with an old mascara wand or toothbrush. Once your lips are smooth as a baby’s bum, add a moisturising balm before applying your lip pencil etc.

Advent Calendar Day 16: HAIR 🎅💋💄

Do your hairpins keep falling out and your gorgeous hair style turns into a hot mess on the dance floor? A trick I use for all of my clients for events is to spray the hairpins with hairspray before using them. This gives them additional grip and ensures that they don’t slide out of even the finest of hair. (I spray my hairpins in bulk on a piece of kitchen roll before putting them into my kit. Its easier to do this way and takes less time)

Advent Calendar Day 17: DRIED OUT PRODUCTS 🎅💋💄

Do you ever have an amazing gel eyeliner or cream eyeshadow/paint pot that is that dry that you can’t use it anymore? Firstly, to stop your product drying out, when you take the lid off, keep the pot upside down on your work surface to stop the air from drying it out. As soon as you are finished, replace the lid. Its that simple.

If your product has already dried out, take the lid off and pop it into the microwave for a few seconds. When the product is soft again add a couple of drops of saline solution to the product and mix with a makeup spatula/tooth pick. Flatten the product and use as normal.

Advent Calendar Day 18: EYEBROWS 🎅💋💄

So, you’ve created a perfect eyebrow and you’re feeling great however the weather is windy and rainy, and you just know that your brows won’t last the day/night. So how do you keep your eyebrows in place? After you fill in your eyebrows, help keep the hairs in place by spraying some hairspray on a spoolie or on an old mascara brush that’s been cleaned and then brush through your brows. Alternatively, you can use a clear mascara to set your brows and keep them looking perfect.

Advent Calendar Day 19: FIX BROKEN POWDER MAKEUP 🎅💋💄

We’ve all been there; we’ve dropped our favourite powder, highlighter, blush or eyeshadow and its broken into pieces. We want to keep it as there’s loads left but don’t want to put it into our makeup bag/handbag as it’ll cause a mess. Makeup artists have this problem too and here’s how we get to keep using our damaged powder products.

With a makeup spatula or small teaspoon, crush the rest of your product into a fine powder. Next, add a couple of drops of IPA (isopropyl alcohol) and mix it with the broken powder. As the IPA starts to evaporate, flatten the product down with the back of the spoon so that it is flatter and looks more like it used to do. Now leave the lid off for a couple of hours until the IPA has completely evaporated, and the powder has set. It won’t look perfect but who cares when you get to keep your favourite product?

Advent Calendar Day 20: SKIN 🎅💋💄

So, the party season has started to take a toll on your skin. We all know that the best way to attain healthy, luminous skin is by drinking water, but if you’re slacking on your H2O consumption, have no fear! A makeup artist trick is to use a brightening primer or illuminator such as MAC Strobe Cream to get the same effect. Pat the product onto clean, dry skin before applying your foundation or for a dewier effect, mix a small amount in with your foundation and you’ll look like you’re glowing from within.

Advent Calendar Day 21: PRIME YOUR EYES 🎅💋💄

Just like you prime your skin, you should prime your eyes. This is one of those must-know makeup tips for ladies who love a smokey eye or wear glitter shadow. An eye shadow base is a must if you’re planning on wearing eye shadow all night long to all your Christmas and New Year parties. Primers will make your coloured shadows pop more, as well as making colour and glitter last longer without creasing or fading. I like to use MAC Paint Pot in Barely There, but you can just use the same primer that you use for your face.

Advent Calendar Day 22: COLOURFUL EYELINER 🎅💋💄

On the days when you just want a soft look, take an angular brush and use eyeshadow instead of an eyeliner on your upper lash line. It gives a natural and soft look, absolutely perfect for colourful smokey eyes. For more definition and deeper colour, spray your brush with a fixing spray then dip it into your favourite eye shadow colour. Now you have a colourful eyeliner without having to fork out for lots of different gels or pencils!

Advent Calendar Day 23: ENHANCE YOUR BOOBS WITH MAKEUP 🎅💋💄

Are you wearing a low-cut dress and want a little bit more in your chest area without stuffing your bra? Well the answer is use Makeup. This is a makeup artist and drag queen secret that can enhance your assets without resorting to ‘chicken fillets!’

1.Using a flat brush, use a cream color about two shades deeper than your skin tone to draw your first breast. Follow the shape of an underwire bra and simply make an “over wire.” Taper the line to be thinner as it goes up and stop at about the 11 o’clock spot on your breast. Do the same on the other side.

Now dip your brush in the next deepest shade. Apply this at the bottom curve of your “cleavage,” where a shadow would naturally happen and blend the colour inwards. Continue blending up and over, until you have more of a shaded look rather than harsh lines. If you feel more comfortable using a makeup sponge for this part, that works too! Just gently tap the sponge against your skin to blend.

Don’t forget to set your makeup with a translucent powder and fixing spray.

Advent Calendar Day 24: FALSE LASHES 🎅💋💄

As most of you will be out celebrating or staying in with friends and family I’m not expecting people to be reading this post on Christmas Eve and so todays final Advent Calendar Tip is for the morning after a night out.

How to clean your false eyelashes: in a ramekin or small bowl, add some of your IPA (isopropyl alcohol). Submerge your lashes and leave them for 5 mins. With your fingers and a cotton bud, gently rub the mascara off your lashes. By this point the glue will start to separate from the lashes. Gently pull the glue away from the band and discard. Place your lashes on some kitchen roll to allow the IPA to evaporate and replace your lashes into their box to keep them looking beautiful for their next use.

I hope that you’ve had an amazing run up to Christmas and enjoyed all of the tips and tricks in my Digital Makeup Advent Calendar on Instagram (@makeupbyclaire01)

Follow this blog for more tips on makeup, hair and beauty, info and tutorials. If you have any ideas on what you want me to write about or give step by step tutorials on, please email me at claire@makeup-byclaire.co.uk

Why clean your makeup brushes?

Who’s got the time to clean their makeup brushes? There are three big reasons for doing so:

The first reason is that dirty makeup brushes don’t perform as well. When your blush brush has so much powder on it that you don’t need to put any more on when you apply …well, that’s no good. It can cause your makeup application to turn out looking very different than you expected: darker, more intense, or just plain muddy.

The second reason to wash your brushes is that dirty brushes can transfer bacteria from our skin to our makeup products and back again. Cleaning your brushes regularly will ensure that you not only get rid of excess product but also bacteria and oils that have been transferred to your brush. This can help prevent breakouts and other nasty skin complaints that are caused by germs.

The final reason is to care for your brushes. Cleaning them actually helps them to last longer. Brushes are a big investment, especially these days with many big brands brushes averaging £25 each, so we should be doing our best to protect them. I know that I cant afford to change my brushes every year!

Cleaning our Makeup Brushes

Optimally, we should wash our brushes once a week; I think I speak for most of us when I say that usually doesn’t happen. As a Makeup Artist I wash my brushes at the end of every working day however my personal brushed don’t get the care and attention that they deserve! A realistic goal is to wash your brushes at least once a month.

Below is how I clean my work and personal makeup brushes. Today is the first of the month, so let’s try to make a goal together to wash our brushes on the first of every month.

Remember to love your brushes and they will love you back!

How to Clean Your Brushes

I like to use Sigma’s brush cleaning mitt however at £31 they are a bit pricey for personal use. I’ve found a great alternative that I recommend to my clients Silicone Makeup Brush Cleaning Glove and at only £2.49 its a bargain. As a shampoo, over the years I have tried most of the makeup brand’s brush cleansers/shampoos however I find that I prefer to use Carex Complete Antibacterial Aloe Vera Hand Wash. Not only is this hand wash gentle but it is also effective in helping to prevent the spread of germs. There are many hand washes on sale but my advice is that you ensure that it is antibacterial too.

How to clean your brushes – Step by Step

Use warm water to saturate the brush hairs only. Be sure not to soak your whole brush as this will ruin it.

Place a pea-sized amount of hand wash, or your chosen shampoo, into the palm of your mitt and massage the cleanser into the damp hair using a swirling motion. Do this until the cleanser has been completely dispersed among the brush hairs.

Turn your mitt over onto the rinse side and sweep the brush back and forth against the RINSE texture under running water until the water runs clear.

Repeat steps 1-3 for a deeper clean on brushes such as Foundation and concealer which require more cleaning.

Squeeze – Gently squeeze brush bristles to remove excess water. (Create a ring with your index finger and thumb and pull the brush through the fingers while applying gentle pressure to remove excess water and maintain the brushes shape.)

Place on a towel and lay flat to dry. Never dry your brush in an upright position as this will loosen the glue that binds the brushes and lead to hair loss.

Cleaning Tip: Clean all of your natural fibre brushes first. These will have been used with powders. Next clean any of your brushes which you use with emollients such as foundation or concealer. If you clean your brushes in this order you don’t run the risk of having any leftover emollient products on your mitt and transferring it to your natural fibre brushes.

I hope this shows how easy and cheap it is to clean your makeup brushes and also shows the necessary reasons for cleaning them regularly.

If you have any other useful tips that I can add to this post, please post a comment or comment on this post on my Facebook page. All additions will be credited.

Follow this blog for more tips on makeup, hair and beauty, info and tutorials. If you have any ideas on what you want me to write about or give step by step tutorials on, please email me at claire@makeup-byclaire.co.uk

Note: This blog post contains affiliate links from eBay. If you use them, I might be rewarded a small commission of the sale. You will not be charged extra. Please note that I only recommend products and tools that I personally use and love, and I always have my readers’ best interest at heart.

As a makeup artist, I am constantly helping clients to look their best and make the most of the products they own. The more you know how to utilise your beauty tools, the more fun you can have (not to mention, the more money you’ll save). Here are some of my favourite simple tips and tricks that anyone can do, that’ll make you feel like you’ve had your makeup done by a professional Makeup Artist.

1. Make your favourite lipstick Matte or Metallic

If like me, you cant stand the feel of matte lipstick, here’s a little trick you can use to turn any lipstick matte: Add a small amount of powder blush or eyeshadow on top of your lipstick to remove the shine.

Application: Apply lipstick, blot with a tissue, and pat the powder on top with your finger until it’s fully matte. This is a perfect way to have a matte version of your favourite lipstick while utilising products you already have.

extra tip: This trick can also be lovely for nights out and holidays by adding a touch of gold/shimmer eyeshadow to the centre of your lips for that metallic glow.

2. 3 Types of Foundation in One

Diluting your Foundation is a trick which I use often to give different coverage without carrying the weight of different types of foundation in my makeup kit.

Sometimes your favourite foundation provides too much coverage, yet your tinted moisturiser doesn’t offer enough. On holiday and summer evenings out with my husband I want a medium coverage but don’t want to 2-3 foundations in my makeup bag. To use my favourite foundation (MAC Studio Fix Fluid) in my perfect shade but with different levels of coverage, I add a bit of facial moisturiser, drop by drop, to my foundation. I do this on a palette (if I am working on a client) or on the back of my hand if I am using the foundation on myself. By diluting the foundation gradually, you can custom create the perfect amount of coverage for your preference (with the added bonus of hydration). Lighter for daytime and holidays and heavier for evenings, whilst still wearing your prefect shade.

3. Double Duty Mascara

There are many occasions when I don’t want to carry lots of makeup products with me; on set for touch ups, when I’m going out or when I’m travelling. Due to being a ‘lazy girl’ I like my products to have double duty such as above, using an eyeshadow to change the texture of my lipstick and using a mascara as an eyeliner.

Application: I like to apply eyeliner with an angled brush whether it be on a client or on myself and so, I pick up some of the mascara from the wand onto my eyeliner brush and apply to the lash line as normal. I then finish with a couple of coats of the same mascara on the lashes. This is a great tip for travelling and to save you having to carry many products around with you.

Extra Tip: This works will all shades from black, brown and blue to more vibrant colours. Have a go and save save in your makeup bag/kit.

4. Instant Brow Lift

If like me you want lovely brows without looking like they’ve been drawn on with a sharpie marker, then I have a little trick that not only defines but lifts your brows, creating a perfect frame for your face.

After filling my brows with either a pencil, powder or gel, depending on the look that I am trying to achieve, I then highlight the brows with concealer and blend with a small flat foundation brush. By placing concealer around the brows and blending, you add shape and lift.

I also highlight under your arch with a soft cream coloured eyeshadow (not too shimmery) and apply the same colour to the inner corners of my client’s/my eyes to give the effect of looking more awake.

5. Cheeky Fix!

As you are well aware by now, I love products which have multiple uses and save me space in both my makeup kit and my personal makeup bag.

This next tip is one that I use often, especially on holiday as I dropped my eye and cheek palette onto the tiled floor on holiday and smashed all of the powders. If I was at home, this wouldn’t have been a problem (see Tip 6) but as I was abroad this meant that I had lost all of my lovely eye shadows and blushes in my beautiful palette. As a small tear fell onto my cheek, I looked into my makeup bag and realised that I had a solution, Lipstick!!!!!

Lipstick can double as a cream blush and cream eye shadow when you’re in a fix. This is especially handy on holiday as we tend to use more soft peach or pink lipsticks rather than deep reds and so the colours can compliment not only your lips but also tie in your eyes and cheeks into your colour theme.

Additional Tip: This tip works well in winter with metallic lipstick used on your lips and also matching on your eyes! Try silver, gold or metallic lipsticks for a pulled together modern look.

6. A death in the family!

When you make the fatal mistake of knocking your favourite pressed powder makeup product onto the floor and it turns into dust, don’t despair. It happens all the time to makeup artists and here’s how we bring our highlighters, eyeshadows, blush and stetting powders back to life! The miracle product here is IPA (isopropyl alcohol). IPA can be purchased at larger chemists or online.

You’ll Need: Your broken powder, a tissue, a cotton bud and IPA in a small spray bottle.

Break up your powder compact (even more) into tiny pieces using a cotton bud. Spread them out across the compact so they’re evenly distributed.

Place a tissue over the broken pieces of powder, and press down with your fingers to flatten your product and shape it back into the compact. Lift up the tissue to see where you need to apply more pressure to flatten down all the pieces.

Now spray your powder with the IPA until it is the consistency of wet sand. Leave to dry in a safe place with the lid open and the IPA will evaporate.

Clean up the edges of your makeup container with your tissue, and you’re good to go. Your powder obviously won’t have the pretty design that was imprinted in it before you dropped it, but your makeup will certainly be brought back from the dead.

7. Say ‘No’ to HD Powder

I never use HD powders or products containing a lot of silica to finish or set my client’s foundations or other makeup unless they are on a TV/film set. These products were created specifically for film and the ingredients in these products can reflect light (specifically a bright flash in a dark room or at night) and create the illusion of a white powder on your skin.

It’s the “amateur” move that even a lot of professionals have mistakenly made. You can see it below on Kristen Stewart’s makeup where the HD powder stands out with the flash of a camera. This could happen you you even with the flash of a mobile phone camera.

To ensure that you don’t look like the ‘powdery ghost’ in your group photos or selfies, why not try a product such as Charlotte Tilbury’s Airbrush Flawless Finish powder or MAC’s Mineralize Skinfinish Natural Powder (my two current favourites).

8. Spritz Away

If you’ve finished your face and you find yourself looking a bit too made up (or cakey), try spraying a finishing spray like MAC Prep + Prime Fix+ lightly over your face. The spray penetrates the foundation and helps to create a skin mimicking look. Basically, your skin will look more like skin and less like makeup plus, your face may stay in place a bit longer, as an added bonus.

9. Stack your lashes

Last but not least, if you love a big, voluminous, Bardot-esque lash look, you might be tempted to look for a full, thick false lash, most of which have tick unnatural bands and look truely false (not to say hideous)

I prefer to stack better quality lighter pairs of lashes onto of each other. Just make sure their bands are thin or invisible to keep things looking natural. I also prefer to trim the upper set slightly shorter than the lower set so that I can offset them slightly giving a more natural look. At the moment I’m loving EyeEnvy 303 False Eyelashes.

I hope this encourages you to look at using your products differently and hopefully getting more uses out of one product as well as some interesting tips which you can use in the future.

If you have any other useful tips that I can add to this post, please post a comment or comment on this post on my Facebook page. All additions will be credited.

Follow this blog for more tips on makeup, hair and beauty, info and tutorials. If you have any ideas on what you want me to write about or give step by step tutorials on, please email me at claire@makeup-byclaire.co.uk

Note: This blog post contains affiliate links from eBay. If you use them, I might be rewarded a small commission of the sale. You will not be charged extra. Please note that I only recommend products and tools that I personally use and love, and I always have my readers’ best interest at heart. eBay just has some great deals!!!

About this time of year, many of us begin to feel that our skin looks dull. Brightening up the area around the eyes is the best way to look refreshed and vibrant in just a minute. We’ve had two weeks to try some of the remedies from my last blog post ‘How To Banish Those Dark Circles and look more awake’

I always use Micellar Water to clean eye makeup away and never rub my eyes hard! I also drink a lot of water to stay hydrated (luckily, it’s also my favourite drink), and I frequently use cold compresses on my eyes when I use my weekly face masks. I, however, am one of the unlucky women that still has those pesky dark circles, no matter what I do, and this is where I now turn to my training and my makeup kit/makeup bag.

Additional Tip:

Before I give you my favourite products and application methods, one tip which I always use, especially on clients is: using an eyelash curler. This may seem like it has noting to do with concealing your dark circles, however using an eyelash curler takes care of two issues: It gets rid of the shadow your lashes cast on your under-eye area, and opens your eyes, making you look more awake. Win-Win and worth a minute being added onto your daily routine.

3 Step Process for Covering your Dark Circles

So now to the actual covering of the dark circles. This is an easy 3 step process which takes no time at all once you’ve mastered the application.

Step 1: Correct

Dark circles tend to be blue or grey in colour. To correct them you need to apply a colour that’s opposite on the colour wheel, which would be peach or orange. If you have fair skin, choose a light to medium peach colour. For medium to dark skin, pick a dark peach or orange colour. For very dark skin use an orange red.

When choosing a corrector go for a shade that is 1-2 shades darker than your skin colour. It’s important to pick a darker shade, so it hides your dark circles. Apply the corrector in an upside-down triangle with your ring finger or rounded concealer brush, low enough under the eyes to completely cover the area. Don’t forget to correct the inner part of your eye near your tear duct too. Don’t worry about your under eyes looking orange, as the next step is to conceal.

There are 3 products within my makeup kit/makeup bag which I love to use for correcting dark circles:

Step 2: Conceal and Blend

If you don’t wear foundation, choose a concealer that’s the same colour as your skin tone and place it on top of the orange concealer you just applied. Blend it out with the warmth of your ring finger and watch the peach/orange colour disappear.

For those of you who wear foundation, dot your foundation all over your face and buff it into your skin as usual. Be gentle around your eye area so that you don’t remove the orange concealer that’s underneath. The goal in this step is to blend the corrector and foundation into one.

If you feel like you can still see your corrector, you may want to brighten your under eyes with a lighter concealer. All you need is a thin consistency concealer like Yves Saint Laurent Touché Éclat or MAC Pro Longwear Concealer. Choose a colour that is one shade lighter than your skin tone, so it brightens the under-eye area. Place a couple dots under your eye and blend it out with a soft dome brush.

Step 3: Set your Makeup

Using the same soft dome brush, apply a thin layer of setting powder under your eyes to set the concealer and prevent it from creasing throughout the day. If you like using face powder, use a flat thin sponge and apply a thin layer of powder in your T Zone and under your eyes. My preferred powder right now is Charlotte Tilbury’s Airbrush Flawless Finish Powder, because it’s super smooth and doesn’t cake up!

I hope this helps with your daily battle with dark circles! I realize this is a process, but I swear by this method when I, or a client, needs some heavy-duty coverage. With time it will only take a couple of minutes and make you look and feel more awake.

Application Tips

The skin isn’t smooth like a piece of plastic, so to get full coverage apply your concealer with a concealer brush using criss-cross motions. This gets the concealer into the fine lines on the skin that aren’t normally visible.

Then, to make your concealer completely disappear, feather the edges with your ring finger. The warmth from your finger will melt the concealer into your skin.

A little goes a very long way. I am amazed at how little I have to use! If it is creasing, it was too much. Just pat at the concealer with your ring finger to smooth it out and use a little less next time. Experiment (it’s only makeup!) till you find the right amount for you.

If you have a few extra fine lines around the eyes, (happy lines) start by gently stretching the skin flat then applying just a little bit of corrector/concealer down/away from your tear duct working outwards. With the remainder of your product on the brush lightly sweep over the area with the lines and pat gently with your ring finger to blend. Release your taught skin and voila, no makeup collecting in your lines.

The inner corner of the eye, on the side of the bridge of the nose is a GREAT place to add light. It wakes up your eyes and brightens your whole face.

If you have any other useful tips that I can add to this post, please post a comment or comment on this post on my Facebook page. All additions will be credited.

Follow this blog for more tips on makeup, hair and beauty, info and tutorials. If you have any ideas on what you want me to write about or give step by step tutorials on, please email me at claire@makeup-byclaire.co.uk

We all remember how popular glitter and metallic makeup has been over the decades and for the last 12 months its been back on trend and rocking the Runways, Hollywood and Social Media. Metallic makeup doesn’t have to be avant garde or for the brave or young, as long as you choose the right colours you can create a beautiful look for a night out.

Tips & Tricks for applying metallic makeup like a pro

Use a primer. Metallic makeup, like glitter makeup, needs an even base so that it goes on smoothly. Before applying any makeup, but especially before applying eye makeup, use a primer to help prevent creases and increase longevity. I like to use Garnier 5 Second Blur Primer both in my makeup kit and personally. It has a lovely soft finish and doesn’t dry out the skin.

Pick tones & colours that flatter your complexion. You shouldn’t be scared of wearing metallics as it is just like wearing jewellery. The rule of thumb is to wear a colour that suits your skin tone best however this rule isn’t set in stone and you can choose any shade you want to wear and add a contrast to your skin tone. Stick to darker shades for lighter skin tones and lighter shades for darker skin tones, however on photo shoots and younger clients I mix this up as the contrast can look very complementary and doesn’t wash you out as you might think.

The options are shades of silver, metal, bronze and gold. Alternatively you now have coloured metallics in every shade of the rainbow.

Add a pop of metallic color to your lips. To add some shimmer to your lips, paint your lips with a metallic lipstick.

Transform your non-metallic makeup into metallic makeup. If you don’t want to totally restock your makeup bag with products that you may only wear during the festive season, simply pick up a few loose metallic eye shadow pigments that you can layer and mix with any of your creamy lipsticks or eye shadows to instantly give a magically metallic makeup look.

If you have any other useful tips that I can add to this post, please post a comment or comment on this post on my Facebook page. All additions will be credited.

Follow this blog for more tips on makeup, hair and beauty, info and tutorials. If you have any ideas on what you want me to write about or give step by step tutorials on, please email me at claire@makeup-byclaire.co.uk

Note: This blog post contains affiliate links from eBay. If you use them, I might be rewarded a small commission of the sale. You will not be charged extra. Please note that I only recommend products and tools that I personally use and love, and I always have my readers’ best interest at heart.